The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus were denied as they are not related to service.,Degenerative Disc Disease of the Neck (previously characterized as spondylolysis L-5 on S-1) and Degenerative Disc Disease of the Back were remanded due to insufficient evidence regarding their etiology.
The deciding factor: The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss was not incurred in service, and may not be presumed to have been incurred in service.,The Veteran's tinnitus was not related to service. The Board found that the private medical opinion provided by Dr. J. H. lacked a rationale.
- Claimed conditions
- Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, Degenerative Disc Disease of the Neck (previously characterized as spondylolysis L-5 on S-1), Degenerative Disc Disease of the Back
- How they argued it
- Direct service connection
- Exposure basis
- None
- Rating assigned
- None in this decision
- Decision date
- December 2, 2021
- Citation
- A21019183
This is a plain-language summary generated by AI from a public Board of Veterans’ Appeals decision. It can contain errors — always verify against the original. Look up the original decision on VA.gov (opens in a new tab) using citation A21019183.
What this means for you
A remand is not a loss. The Board sent the case back for more development — often a new exam or missing records — before making a final decision. Many remands later end in a grant, and the decision spells out exactly what the Board wanted to see.
What you can do next
Related decisions
Other Board decisions on a similar condition or argued the same way.
- Denied
The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss and tinnitus, finding that the Veteran's current conditions are not related to his military service.
- Granted
The Veteran's bilateral hearing loss is granted as service-connected. The claims for alcohol abuse and psychiatric disorder are remanded for additional development, including a VA examination to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.
- Remanded (sent back)
The Board has decided to remand the case due to a need for a new VA examination to assess the current severity of the Veteran's bilateral hearing loss. The issue remains under direct service connection theory.
- Denied
The Veteran's hearing loss was rated at 30 percent, the highest non-compensable rating available. The Board found that his hearing loss did not warrant a higher rating based on VA examinations and medical records.
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